Thrift Stores/Yard Sales - How often do you go?
 

So many of you post information about your wonderful thrift store/yard sale finds. I'm just wondering how often do you go looking for goodies?

Depends on my mood. Sometimes every week, sometimes just when we or I am driving by on (live in large city) or if we are looking for something specific then we go. Around here there are multiple estate sales every weekend all year long. I am on several e-mail lists from the estate sale companies. If it was a limited number of places at any given time I'd probably go every other weekend....

anytime I have the time to do so! I LOVE yard sales and thrift stores for many things, not just sewing.

I only go to garage sales that have something that call to me on CL or are right near me. We live in an area with lots of young families and I'm soooooo done with baby furniture and car seats and it seems everyone sells toys and baby stuff. So, unless the sale is going to have something I'm interested in, I don't waste the gas.

I just go when the mood strikes me...or when a friend calls and says "Lets go to garage sales." I look for lots of silly things...I get craft stuff for my grandkids at Goodwill pretty often. IT is a great way to spend a bit of free time.

When my kids were young I went to yard sales every weekend I could. They wore all yard sale clothes. I was not spending my money on new clothes to get played in, stained, and ripped. Of course when they got older (teen) they could shop for their own clothes where ever they wanted. I stop when I see one while I'm out, but I don't plan on going. I go to estate sales when I'm looking for furniture, painting or nice rugs.

I used to go all the time and we used our Saturday community sales for exercise by walking all around. Hubby had ebay business in books and we were always looking. No more. Sales are farther apart, he stopped ebay sales and I have no room for more junk. I do watch ads for estate sales, fabric sales, etc. But I am much more selective.

Even with this careful looking, I still find great buys about 4 times a year. One time it was an ad on my guild's facebook page, another was an ad on Craigslist, etc.

I'm also on an email list for estate sales. If I see items that indicate the owner was a sewer, I try to go. I get to garage sales maybe a couple of times a month and only when I see a sign pointing me to it. My two daughters live in different cities, so I ask them to keep their eyes open for me when they go to garage sales too. Occasionally I check Craigslist and recently found a good deal on an embroidery machine.

Every Friday morning...out of the house by 8 a.m., Saturday by 9 a.m. if we didn't go on Friday, and sometimes Sunday mornings, depending on the weather and our moods. I think estate sales will produce fabric and machines more so than garage/yard sales, just my opinion and experience. I have nearly built an entire stash on garage and estate sales and remnants! FUN!

We try to pick a different part of town each week, and he first weekend of the month is usually the best time to go, since many people wait til then to have their sales figuring on everyone getting paid on the first of the month. You can often get better deals late in the day on Saturday or Sunday as the sellers are closing down and don't want to have to find a place to put the leftovers...assuming there's anything left worth buying.

I haven't figured out the thrift store times and days yet but have a neighbor who finds some great fabric deals. I need to start figuring that out soon, since there aren't many garage sales through the winter months.

I never go to those things however I do visit EBay every once in a while. I just bought 12 MODA fat quarters for 22.00. A good buy I say, even with the 4.95 shipping.

I use to go to the thrift shops and garage sales every weekend, but since getting older and on a fixed income I
hardly ever to to go to any of them at all and I sure miss the hunt.

my DD and I normally go about one weekend a month. Her DH is in the national guard so we will go his duty weekend. She has just bought a new house so she is decorating and I look...and come home with some goodies...Two weekend ago, I got three brand new outfits for my DGD who will be arriving in Sept/Oct. All three had the original tags on them and I spent 3 dollars.

I just love going to thrift stores and yard sales and I try to get out every weekend. The amount of fabric, sewing baskets, storage containers, vintage sewing machines, serger, quilting books and magazines, quilt tops and/or quilt kits, etc, etc, that I have purchased for very little money is amazing! I would not have been able to afford all the wonderful things that I have purchased if I had to pay full store price.

I tend to go every Friday, thats when most happen in my small town. I have found a few vintage machines and have picked up one. I have found little fabric and what I did find I could not commit to buying it. Not sure why I am so apprehensive about purchasing fabric from a yard sell or Goodwill. I don't buy cloths from yard sales either. One of these days I am sure to hit the jackpot of fabrics. This town has a huge quil
ting community so I know there is some out there.

I have enough "stuff" so I try to avoid them my mom went to alot of them and I have alot of "stuff" from her too. I always feel like I need to buy something so I stay away.

I too live vicariously through other quilt boarders. I'm between jobs right now. And, had to downsize my stash by half when I moved out of state. I really don't want to buy to far ahead. I'm trying to really quilt up my stash and save my money. (For now.) But, I have seen some other QBR's get some really good deals.

I go to the thrift stores on a regular basis. Most of them are on my "path" to the gym, grocery store, etc. Garage/estate sales more sporadic. Not usually in the winter, but, like frogs and princesses, I find I have to go to tons of garage/estate sales before I find anything interesting.